The problem is that no ethical system has ever achieved consensus. Ethical systems are completely unlike mathematics or science. This is a source of concern.
Meaning of the quote
Ethical systems, which are the rules and principles that guide our moral behavior, are very different from math and science. While math and science have agreed-upon facts and formulas, there is no single ethical system that everyone agrees on. This lack of consensus is a concern because it means there is no clear, universal guide for how we should act morally.
About Daniel Dennett
Daniel Dennett was an American philosopher and cognitive scientist who made significant contributions to the philosophy of mind, science, and biology. He was a prominent proponent of materialism and presented his arguments for a physicalist understanding of consciousness in his influential book ‘Consciousness Explained’.
More quotes from Daniel Dennett
The problem is that no ethical system has ever achieved consensus. Ethical systems are completely unlike mathematics or science. This is a source of concern.
American philosopher (1942-2024)
The juvenile sea squirt wanders through the sea searching for a suitable rock or hunk of coral to cling to and make its home for life. For this task, it has a rudimentary nervous system. When it finds its spot and takes root, it doesn’t need its brain anymore so it eats it!
American philosopher (1942-2024)
Darwin’s idea of natural selection makes people uncomfortable because it reverses the direction of tradition.
American philosopher (1942-2024)
I think many people are terribly afraid of being demoted by the Darwinian scheme from the role of authors and creators in their own right into being just places where things happen in the universe.
American philosopher (1942-2024)